The brains, not the bodies: how Horizon Robotics builds the edge AI chips powering China’s robots and self-driving cars, a strategic automation frontier.
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Robotics & Automation
Case studies on China’s robotics and automation companies — industrial robots, humanoids, warehouse automation and the firms driving the country’s automation boom.
- 8 guides
- Updated Jul 21, 2026
Latest in Robotics & Automation
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China’s Hidden Robotics Edge: The Component Supply Chain
The real robotics edge is the parts, not the robots: how China’s dense component supply chain gives it a durable cost-and-speed advantage in automation.
Inside China’s Race to Build Humanoid Robots
Dozens of companies, heavy state support, ambitious targets: inside China’s race to build useful humanoid robots — and the gap between demos and reality.
Siasun: China’s State-Backed Robotics Champion
Born from a state research institute: how Siasun became a broad robotics champion and what it reveals about the government’s hand in Chinese robotics.
Geek+: Automating the Warehouses Behind Online Shopping
The robots behind fast delivery: how Geek+ rode the e-commerce boom to lead warehouse automation and make logistics robotics a Chinese export strength.
Estun: The Robot Arms Powering China’s Factories
The workhorses of manufacturing: how Estun climbed from motion-control parts to industrial robot arms, taking on Japanese and European incumbents.
Unitree: The Company That Made Robots Go Viral
Agile quadrupeds and humanoids at a fraction of Western prices: how Unitree democratized advanced robotics and made China a leader in legged machines.
UBTech: China’s Bet on Human-Shaped Robots
From robot toys to bipedal humanoids: how UBTech became a leader in China’s humanoid robotics push, and the challenge of making human-shaped machines pay.